FRISCO, Texas - Football season is getting closer and closer.
The Cowboys are set to depart for training camp in less a month. That's when we'll get the first up-close look at Brian Schottenheimer's first season with this revised roster and coaching staff. When we get to Oxnard, that's when we'll start to get some real answers about this 2025 Cowboys team.
But what are the questions? We've compiled our annual list of pressing questions that need answers heading into the regular season. The staff writers, consisting of Patrik Walker, Tommy Yarrish, Nick Eatman, Mickey Spagnola and Kurt Daniels, weigh in on some of the pressing issues.
Today, we'll kick off the series with a question regarding the Cowboys' rookie class, which was highlighted by 11th overall pick Caleb Downs. While there's been a lot of attention directed his way, and rightfully so for the reigning Thorpe Award winner, the rest of Dallas' rookies are looking to establish themselves in their first NFL seasons too.
**20) Aside from Downs, which rookie makes the biggest impact?**
Patrik: My first instinct here is to go with Malachi Lawrence, and I don't doubt he'll make an impact in Year 1, but the first year in the league is rarely a breakout campaign for edge rushers 鈥� alongside the fact there are young veterans at the position who will get their shot (such as Sam Williams and James Houston). That said, I'm drawing a circle around rookie cornerback Devin Moore, and for a couple reasons.
Positionally speaking, Moore is more of a boundary cornerback than anything, and there have been serious availability issues with DaRon Bland. I am a firm believer Bland can return to form if he can stay healthy, but the foot injury has nagged him. If Bland misses time, it likely thrusts Moore in rotation with Caelen Carson (but Carson is in the final year of his contract). I believe Christian Parker and Ryan Smith want to develop the fourth-rounder to be a longterm solution at boundary CB, the same formula attached to Shavon Revel. Moore might be a pleasant surprise as early as Year 1, in my opinion.
Tommy: Go ahead and call me basic for picking the second first-round pick, but I do think that it's Malachi Lawrence. This is a pass rushing unit that has a lot of youth spread around it, and Dallas is banking on that youth to grow up and formulate a strong combination of good pass rushers. Lawrence has all the traits you could want in a pass rusher but may need some time to grow accustomed to NFL play. If he ends up learning and developing at a quicker rate, I think there's absolutely a world where he's considered to be the Cowboys' best pass rusher early in his career.
For the 2026 season, if there's noticeable growth and he's able to at the very least show the flashes of what made Lawrence a first-round pick based on the tape from UCF, I think that makes the biggest impact for Dallas outside of Caleb Downs. The good news for Lawrence in the learning process is I think he's got a strong group of position coaches around him in OLBs coach Chidera Uzo-Diribe and pass rush specialist consultant BT Jordan to be able to tap into his skillset early and make the necessary tweaks to his game that'll foster growth.
Nick: Immediately after the draft, I answered a question on here about my favorite Day 2/3 pick and I went with LT Overton. So I'm not going to change that answer here. I think it applies just the same because I really like the plan and vision the Cowboys have for Overton. Unlike the other rookies, the Cowboys do have players that play the same spots as Barham, Lawrence, Shelton and Moore.
But Overton is quite unique in that he's pretty much the smallest and quickness of the defensive tackles. I get the sense the Cowboys are going to use him on passing downs and he can lean on his pass-rushing skills but from the inside. It won't surprise me if he can get around the 5-6 sack range even as a rookie. That would be a huge impact and so for that reason, the fact that he already seems to have a carved-out role, that will be my selection here.
